Well, I was wrong … my dear Ottawa bloggers and their readers are just so darn gorgeous in real life that the faces really made the entire night last night a real treat.

A real treat that was entirely made possible by the amazing Lynn from Diary of a Turtlehead. She really pulled off an awesome event. There were 24 readers in total and the place was packed!

The faces behind the blogs: Cheeky, animated, earnest, radianting intelligence, curious and just plain beautiful. They were all there last night. And here are a few for you to enjoy as well….

Christine reading from Coffees and Commutes:

Katherine reading from Girl About O-town:

Nat reading from From Nat’s Brain:

Dani from Postcards from the Mothership:

Me, enjoying every single reading:

All photo credits belong to my brother Adam Harrison         who shares his thoughts and amazing photography from his recent travels on his blog Adam in Asia (Yes, that was my brother I was with last night… you know…just in case you thought my husband was 27-years old).

I love comparing how I imagined a character to look — and move and speak — to the movie’s version. Sometimes it’s very close, but sometimes it is so vastly different that it simply reinforces why reading is just such a wonderful, uniquely personal experience.

In some ways, reading a blog is like that. There are blogs that I’ve read for years and years. I imagine the writer behind the words a certain way … how they would pronouce a certain expression, where they would raise the inflection of their voice. Many of the blogs I read have a photo of the author, so it really comes down to how that face might move when they speak and would their voice be smooth like butter, or intense and shaking with emotion.

A year ago, I had the chance to hear some of my favourite bloggers read from their blogs. It was at an event called BOLO, or Blog Out Loud Ottawa. It was a real joy.

And as a newly minted blogger who had just started dipping her toes into what I would learn are very deep waters of the blogosphere, I was so grateful to be warmly welcomed by Lynn, who is the creative force behind BOLO and the blog Turtlehead, to the event as a reader. I read my post and people listened. But even better, so many Ottawa bloggers took the time to come and introduce themselves to me. I knew then what I know even better now — the blogging community in Ottawa rocks. (I wrote about my first BOLO experience here.)

The next BOLO is just around the corner — July 7th. I’m going to be a reader again (despite the fact that I have yet to find a babysitter … I’ll be the harried-looking woman with the toddler up past his bedtime and the young girl who hasn’t stopped chatting since she arrived), and today I’m the featured blogger on the BOLO site. Start time is 7pm and it’s taking place at Irene’s Pub on Bank Street. There is no cost to attend and it’s a casual affair where you can hang out and have a beer (or wine, or whatever you please) and come and go as you please.

So please consider this your personal invitation to attend and hear the voices behind the words of so many fantastic blogs in this city! You can see the full list of readers here, as they are announced one by one on the BOLO site.

I really hope to see you there!  

When I first started blogging one year ago, I didn’t — and couldn’t — have known what to expect. But BOLO left me feeling very optimistic about it all.

It seems that blogging is one of those things that, like becoming a parent, you just have to do it order to really understand it. And although I have a much better understanding now than I did one year ago, I still have so much learning to do. (Again, just like parenting!)

It seems apt then that I am now reading a novel that is written as a series of blog entries. Other authors have done this in a more fun and light-hearted way, like Kathy Buckworth’s novel The BlackBerry Diaires, but this book, blueeyedboyby Joanne Harris is quite the contrary. Here is how the protagonist, blueeyedboy, describes the WebJournal that he participates in:

On WeJay I can vent as I please, confess without fear of censure; be myself — or indeed, someone else — in a world where no one is quite what they seem, and where every member of every tribe is free to do what they most desire.

Tribe? Yes, everyone here has a tribe; each with its divisions and subdivisions, binary veins and capillaries branching out into a near-infinity of permutations as they distance themselves from the mainstream.

Although dark, this description isn’t exactly in-accurate. We all know there are some seedy sides to the internet. Perhaps naively, I do like to believe that there are more positive than negative sides to engaging on the internet. I have to admit that I’ve stumbled once or twice though. I’ve tried to join in on some ”tribes” and found that my voice is simply not welcomed in that community or on that specific blog. But I think I’ve concluded that those particular tribes exist to preach to the converted, not to engage with others outside of their tribe. It’s been a learning experience.

And that’s okay, because I am learning.

I’m learning that writing for myself (not just for my clients) gives me a really enjoyable feeling of satisfaction. Almost a high. And that the more often that I write, the easier it is to write. I think what I’m finding out about the act of blogging and being part of a blogging community has been best described recently by Christine on Coffees and Commutes in her post “Blogging: Conversations in Happiness and More“:

And that’s what comes from this place, a renewed desire to discuss issues, to think and write about life, and the things that make me happy and unhappy. Perhaps a luxury, but one I craved. I needed an outlet where I could connect with like-minded women who think and worry about the same things. I can see the future, the places this might take me and it excites me. As long as I stay true to what this is, focus on the writing, the connections and less on the hype.

Christine does describes a “tribe” of sorts – like-minded women who think and worry about the same things. But unlike blueeyedboy, there is no artifice. No pseudonym, no desire to actually distance herself from society. That feels right to me. And I like feeling like I belong in her tribe.

I hope that I can offer a similar experience here on my blog. I want this to be a place where you can sit and have a coffee break during work or a child’s nap (or simply to join me in procrastinating from doing the laundry!). A place where you can feel free to join in the conversation and share your point of view.

So far, I think it’s working out that way. (Do you?) And that makes me happy. Happy bloggy-versary!

And happy bloggy-versary to everyone of you who has stopped by to have a coffee and maybe even leave a comment or two. I’m grateful for the company and  I look forward to another year of the same!

But something else that is beautiful has taken place recently. When it comes to reading, Stella is now “Mommy’s little girl.” Just as the outdoors brings a sense of inspiration and peace to my husband, this has always been what reading has provided to me. So I am just thrilled that her life now includes the joy of reading.

I’ve kept two series of chapter books from my childhood: The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis and the Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Both were boxed sets, which made them extra-special gifts at the time. I have no functional use for keeping them all these years; they sit as purely sentimental mementos in my book shelf.

In the meantime of course, I’ve had a daughter. A daughter who now knows how to read. But her tastes have led to tear through Pokemon, Gerinomo Stilton and Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. My cherished box sets from youth must seem old-fashioned, with their faded covers and black and white interiors, and so they continue to sit quietly in my shelf.

But the other day, she began to tell me about a book called Narnia that she saw at her school library. “There was a lion, a witch, and a bathrobe,” she told me straight-faced. But not even “the bathrobe” could distract me from my opportunity to regale her with the book’s merits. I explained that the last word in the title was “wardrobe” and that it was a cupboard where people kept their clothes when they didn’t have a closet in their bedroom.

And then I pounced: “You know, all sorts of magical things happen in that series of books. I just loved it when I was your age. I think I may even have those books still. Hmmmm….. let me look …”

************

This is the book that Stella found at her school library called Narnia. It was published to tie-in with the film that appeared in theatres in 2005. I have not read it myself, or even seen it with my own eyes, but apparently the visuals are very appealing to children and the language and plot have been modified for the same reason. (It’s received excellent reader reviews on the Chapters-Indigo Canada website and retails for $8.99.)

If you’re not familiar with series, it all starts off with Lucy and her siblings Peter, Susan and Edmund. They are sent to live in the house of an old Professor in the London country to keep them safe during the war. In this large house, Lucy finds that when she hides in a wardrobe, the back of it is actually an entrance to an enchanted land called Narnia. The first book in the series The Chronicles of Narnia is the most famous and it is titled The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In it, Aslan, the noble lion, frees Narnia from the spell of the White Witch.

I just adore the forward that the author, C.S. Lewis, wrote for his much-loved book, which was first published in 1950. It is inscribed to Lucy Barfield, his Goddaughter.

My dear Lucy,
I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand a word you say, but it shall still be.
Your affectionate Godfather,
C.S. Lewis 

This is what my boxed set looks like, published by Collier Books in second edition in 1978.  Each book has a price of $1.95 in the top right-hand corner. The only pictures inside each book are small black and white illustrations at the start of each chapter.

And you can still buy a beautiful boxed set too! Chapters-Indigo Canada offers a Harpers Collins Canada set with full-color illustrations by Pauline Baynes with original cover art from the Puffin editions, which were published only in the UK in the 1950s ($54.77), while my readers in the U.S. might prefer to order from The Scholastic Store, which sells  similarly lovely set of the seven tales ($40 US). Of note is that no matter where you live, the Scholastic website for parents offers a great discussion guide for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe that you can use to chat about the book with your child as well as a Parent’s Guide to the Fantasy Book Genre.

************

I pulled out my box set for Stella. This is the Chronicles of Narnia, I explained in a hushed tone probably more commonly used for emphasis on made-for-tv movies. These are the original books that the author wrote, and that Mommy loved, I continued.

Her interest was piqued. She took the first book and tentatively flipped through the pages. Then she wandered off.

Later, as I walked up the stairs, I could see her laying in bed, nose-deep into the novel. It was past her bedtime, the teeth hadn’t been brushed, and no bedtime rituals had been complete. I quietly tip-toed back down the stairs.

She’d found it! That sweet spot. For as any bookroom knows, the big “o” of reading is when you start into a book and within pages you literally cannot put it down. It is always on your mind … you’re just dying to continue onwards through the pages and find out what happens. You’ll deny yourself food, sleep – whatever it takes – to just keep reading. Until one experiences that sensation, one has not experienced the true joy of reading.

Later. Much later. I went upstairs to turn out her light and tuck her in. She’d fallen asleep with the book beside her. And I could see there was only a sliver of pages left to be read. I leaned over and whispered, “Just like Momma,” and gave her a kiss goodnight.

I was inspired to write this post because I just found out over the weekend that this blog has been chosen by the editors of Scholastic Parent and Child magazine as a finalist for their 2010 Parent Blogger Awards.

Needless to say, I’m thrilled! If you would like to vote for my blog, just click here. Voting starts today! (It’s painless, I promise!)

Anyone who has worked in sales or marketing has generally had to do some kind of cold-calling before. I know that many people don’t mind this work and are quite effective at it. But I always found it painful. So when a telemarketer, or door-to-door marketer or a social media marketer approaches me, I try to be polite. I really do.

For example, here is a recent email I received:

Hi Julie

[Name] here, Co-founder of [Company Name]. [Company overview for a few sentences.]

I took a read on Julieharrison.ca and really liked your content. I thought you’d like to know about [product] that (we feel) would fit your site’s audience perfectly.  We’d greatly appreciate you helping build up exposure by re-posting it on your blog. You know, to get the word out

INTRODUCTION TO [PRODUCT NAME]

[245 words of marketing copy here]

As always, video speaks louder than we ever could so we’ve added a Youtube vid link [link here]
Please feel free to embed it along with the story.

Personally, as a dad, I know that spending quality time with our children are moments no parent can afford to lose. I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration in promoting our client’s [product].  Be sure that we’re going to amplify any mention you make on your site through our social presences which means more visitors coming your way. If there’s anything else we can do, just let us know!

[signature block]

P.S Don’t forget to let us know once you’ve published the item so we can help get the word out. Keep up the awesome work!

Sure, it’s not personal and clearly my name and website have just been slapped into a generic form letter, but hey, he’s trying right? So, I figure I could politely advise what might be the best way work with me (or other bloggers, for that matter).

Hi [Name],
 
I’m flattered that you enjoyed my blog content. You probably noticed then that I have never re-posted a company’s marketing copy. If you’re interested in purchasing an ad on my blog, that might be a better fit.
 
Best,
Julie

It’s not the most subtle response, but I thought it was polite and to the point. And it certainly was way more subtle than, say, what The Bloggess would have typed back (she really is a goddess!). He responded quite quickly with this:

Hi Julie

Since we’re just building up our offering here at [Company Name], we’re not yet at the stage where we can purchase ad spots.

Also, what we know that will be effective is really letting the blogger review [products] and give it their own thoughts. That’s what I’d love to have happen with you. Of course, we’re always building up our clients base so we’re going to be working with you on various [products] which eventually will require us to buy ad spots for them.

In the meantime, would you be willing to try the [product] for free and give it a review?

Keep up the beautiful work.

[Name]
New Media Marketing Specialist

Again, I try to take the high ground and explain that reviews aren’t really my thing. Unless you want me to review a fabulous all-inclusive resort or some sweet new Fluevog Shoes or perhaps even a new car. Then, okay, let’s talk.

But this? This is a product that retails for $1.99. Why would anyone spend time reviewing a product for $1.99? I just don’t get it. I wouldn’t even bother reading a review for a product that was $1.99 — I’d just buy it and try it out for myself. I reply:

No thanks, [Name]. But there are many bloggers who do enjoy and welcome products to review. I’m sure you’ll have great luck with them.
 
Take good care.
 
Best,
Julie

He takes my response well. And replies:

No worries Thanks Julie,

I hope you don’t mind me contacting you once in a while, I might have the right client that will fit your vibe

At this point I’m thinking that he hasn’t really heard anything I’ve been trying to say ( i.e. buy an ad if you want to promote something on my blog!). So, still trying (“trying” being the operative word), I reply:

Hi [Name],
 
Let’s just cut to the chase here: You want to use the space on my blog for free (by reposting your content) or you want me to spend time reviewing a product in exchange for its $1.99 price tag.
 
It’s a bit insulting, frankly. So sure — it’s a free world — you can contact me again. But I won’t bother responding next time unless you have something reasonable to offer.

Julie

I guess he’s moved on to the next mommy blogger on his list now since I haven’t heard back from that last reply, but I have noticed him tweeting up some folks.

I think it really reinforces the truth behind the title of Mom 101’s blog post: “Nothing in life is free. Except it seems, a mommyblogger.”

If you are ever in the care of children in Ottawa, this is the blog to hit for ideas! It covers activities, playgroups, books, crafts, cooking — you name it! — all neatly organized under the “Categories” listing on the right-hand menu. Definitely worth a visit.

Hope everyone has a great start to their week.

People I know who don’t read my blog often ask me what it’s about, and why do I blog. But since you’re here, you likely already have a good understanding of the answer to those two questions. What it really comes down to is that blogging allows me to observe the human experience — in ways that I will never experience personally. There is simply no way that I can experience everything in my life. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to soak it up and explore it a bit anyhow. And I think that’s why so many bloggers are avid blog readers. It’s all about sharing stories. Giving stories a voice.

And I’m endlessly fascinated by how we each perceive our experience here on earth. From the minutia of everyday life as shared by a stay-at-home mother who is raising six children and the down-right-real notes from a recently laid-off professional to more philosophical, thought-provoking what-am-I-doing-here posts that include someone who’s been fighting cancer along with social injustices. That, and just pure entertainment value, of course.

You might recall me telling you that I signed on as a writer with the Life As A Human e-zine. With only two months under its belt, the team anticipates that the site will hit more than 100,000 page views for March alone. And I’m definitely one of those page viewers! Although I can’t claim to have read every single post, I rarely miss a day of checking-in and reading at least one.

And in this spirit of sharing stories, I thought I’d share a few of my favourites with you:

Grandkids: You just have to wait
I’ve been really enjoying the writing of Terry Hume. He’s a heavy duty mechanic with a knack for humorous writing. Try out this post and see if you laugh like I do!

Why I’m Really Running this Marathon
Victoria Klassen shares her grief and how it lives on within her. Try out this post and see if you don’t have tears streaming down your face like I did.

Coming Out: Revealing Secret Passions
Now that I’ve led you to laughter and tears, I’ll leave you feeling inspired! Schmutzie shares how it feels to finally take ownership of the label “writer.”

If you’ve got a post still ringing in your ears or scratching at your heart that you’d like to share, please leave a link in the comments so we can all enjoy it and add a new blogger to our reading.

The whole concept of hyper-parenting is never really far from my mind, actually. It’s something that I consciously, actively want to avoid doing to my children. And yet, it seems we live in a world where hyper-parenting is almost becoming the norm. Or at least that’s how I felt when I just completed this registration form for my daughter to play soccer this summer. Here’s some of the verbiage from the waiver I just signed to release the organization from any liability:

The risks and hazards include but are not limited to injuries from: [...] Grass, turf and other surfaces including bacterial infections and rashes; Falls to the ground due to uneven or irregular terrain or surfaces; collisions with walls and soccer equipment; Extreme weather conditions which may result in heatstroke, sunstroke or hypothermia; Contact, colliding or being struck by other participants [...] Experience anxiety while challenging himself/herself during the activities [...]

Surely, I’m not the only one laughing – or at least rolling their eyes – when filling out these forms, am I?

Oh yes, those nasty grass hazards! Good thing they warned me about that. Oh, wait — my child can trip and hurt themselves while playing a sport? — no way, I’m not signing her up now!

You know, I feel bad that this organization has had to protect itself in this manner from the parents of its participants. So, it seems like nice timing that my Hyper-parenting post has just been reposted on the “Blissfully Domestic” site on the same day that I’m signing these ridiculous forms.

I’m really interested to what comments come in because the majority of readers for this “coffee with Julie” blog are Canadian, whereas the majority of readers on “Blissfully Domestic” are American and likely did not see the documentary … will they agree that there is hyper-parenting going on in their country? Will they recount similar experiences to ours? You can follow along with the discussion too by clicking here.

I got a heads-up from Ann Douglas’ blog at parentcentral.ca that it was coming and I was intrigued. In her review, Douglas concludes that this “hyper-parenting” phenomenon is largely a thing of the past:

The documentary is worth watching, if only as a reminder of where we’ve been and how far we’ve come in rejecting the consumerist parenting style that views parents as manufacturers and kids as products to be paraded before the neighbors and the relatives.

I’m not so sure, though. I think hyper-parenting is still highly pervasive in one form or another.

As example, I know a college professor who refuses to take calls from the parents of students — he finds it utterly ludicrous that he would need to speak to the parent of an adult. But apparently a lot of the parents don’t think so, because it keeps happening year after year.

I also know a senior high-school teacher who, although he loves his job, does admit to the frustration of dealing with “enabled” students and their parents. If a student, as example, does not hand-in their assignment and as a result is not allowed to progress to the next task, he can expect a parent call. And when the parent doesn’t get what they want from speaking to the teacher, they’ll move on up to the vice-principal. In a school system that barely allows students to be held accountable for their actions, parents like this only seem to compound the issue.

How these same young people will ever live as independent adults is anyone’s guess. Which is why the documentary was particularly fascinating when it focused on young adults that were not long out of the nest. Some were university students hobbled by anxiety. And then there was one young woman who seemed to epitomize the issue perfectly. She was bright, but seemingly clueless when it came to “real life” smarts. She cited being let go from a number of jobs due to attitude, lateness and disrespect for senior colleagues.

At the point when the documentary catches her, she’d chosen to leave a job that paid 90,000/year to start her own business. The business never took off and we see her prancing into an office to discuss bankruptcy with a designer bag, takeaway coffee and iPhone phone in hand. And what will happen to this helpless creature? Oh, mommy and daddy will surely take her back in. They’ve already been subsidizing her rent, after all.

Perhaps when Douglas suggests that hyper-parenting is no longer a common practice, she’s referring more to the over-indulgence of consumer goods upon children — the latest toys, video games and designer clothes — as grossly demonstrated in the documentary’s coverage of a $4,000 birthday party for a one-year-old. But even in this regard, I’m not so sure it’s a done deal either.

The documentary notes that hyper-parenting is found in the middle- to upper-classes. I live in a middle- to upper-class neighbourhood and I can attest that consumerism is still rampant in this neck of the woods! Kids wearing Lululemon, toting Nintendo DS players, heading out to multiple extra-curricular activities a week and returning home to their McMansions. Sure, it’s not everyone, but there’s enough to safely say that it exists.    

So, if this hyper-parenting does in fact exist in strong numbers, am I one of them? I don’t think so. But sometimes I actually have this irrational urge to be one.

What do I mean by that? Well, the documentary points to two driving factors behind hyper-parenting: fear (as suggested by the author Carl Honore) and peer pressure (as suggested by one of the parents).

Like all parents, I’m vulnerable to any suggestions of harm to my children. This innate desire to protect our children is used to sell newspapers, magazines, products and services everyday.

How? Okay, here’s one example: headlines shouting out that a child has been abducted by a stranger. It’s not that the media shouldn’t report on this — it is news, after all. It’s just that my intense desire to protect my child can overshadow the hard facts that stranger abductions are exceedingly rare. This parental fear is why few children ever walk to school or their bus stop unsupervised.

And despite my best efforts to shed this fear, I am one of those parents whose children are rarely unsupervised. So what’s the harm in this? The documentary draws a few interesting connections. The first is that when one isn’t allowed unsupervised play, then one ends up with structured play — like a team sport. Honore points out that team sports take all the control away from the child because the rules are made for them, the referree decides who is playing by the rules, etc. The documentary also points out that once you’ve been hovering around your child long enough, it starts to seem natural. Both parents and child get used to always having each other around and a co-dependence develops which makes eventual independence less likely.

The other driving factor that I mentioned above was peer pressure. As much as I hate to admit it, I feel the weight of peer pressure … that so-and-so is taking this class, perhaps my child should too? I actually feel embarrassed to admit that my children are enrolled in exactly zero extra-curricular activities at the moment. Rationally, I know that my children are getting exercise and stimulation through the more unstructured things we do as a family. But I still have this irrational response to the peer pressure to conform to what others are doing. I guess when it comes right down to it, this peer pressure brings me back in a circular swing to fear. The fear that maybe so-and-so is doing the best thing for their child and that I am depriving my child of something very important.

So what have I got to conclude from all of this? I guess:
1. That hyper-parenting is harmful to children
2. That hyper-parenting is a form of parental instinct, but magnified to excess
3. That I am vulnerable to fear and peer pressure

Nothing too ground-breaking in that list, is there? But still, the issue is deeply fascinating to me.

It really got me thinking about a lot of things — especially how much I dislike the use of fear-mongering to sell products and services to parents. It’s used to sell everything from books, to “green” products, to electronics and technology. (It also got Andrea Tomkins thinking about a lot of things too, which you can read here.)

And it really got me wondering if I have the potential to be a hyper-parent. I’ve concluded that I probably have the potential, but I’m just too darn tired to bother!

If you missed this documentary, you can read about it and view video clips here.

It features Dr. Basil Donovan, who was a member of a committed coalition of medical professionals, homosexuals, sex workers, nuns, drug addicts and politicians that “broke the law, offended everyone, and saved tens of thousands of lives” when AIDS first hit Sydney, Australia in the early ’80s.

You can check out this short profile by clicking here.

And please let me know if you have any suggestions for other interesting humans to interview for future profiles!

So, today is the big day! Life As A Human, the Canadian-based e-zine I was telling you about in my last post has now launched.

I really had no idea how it was all going to come together or who the other writers were — it was a bit of a leap of faith to sign-on as a contributor. As you can imagine then, I was super keen to check it out first thing this morning.

The result? I’m thrilled!

And honoured. Because the editorial team selected one of my posts to include on launch day. Here’s a little teaser to entice you to click on over and visit:

Charisma is no longer magic, it’s measurable. So will the winner keep winning if the rest of us can now study her secrets to success? The playing field’s been leveled.

If you go on over and visit, please let me know by leaving a comment at Life As A Human. I can’t wait to hear what you think too!

An unexpected shout-out!

I like to poke around Girl about O-town’s blog because she always seems to know what new funky things are going on around Ottawa. Not the same ol’ stuff — fresh, interesting stuff! I love admiring great design — paper, home, web — and as it happens, not only does she as well but she also creates a lot too. So much so, she just left her job and jumped out into the brave new world of entrepreneurship as a design coach. Anyhow, back to me … so I go and check out her new post and boom! There is my banner right there, front and centre. Wow, was I flattered! My head expanded just a teeny-tiny bit.

A new blogging gig!

A while back I received an email via my blog. This happens, and people try to sell you their secrets to riches or large penises — whatever you might happen to fancy. But this email was different. It was from a man named Christopher Holt. Unlike the other emails I get, he and his partners had clearly read my blog. And — get this — were inviting me to be a part of a brand new e-magazine. How could I not be flattered by that?

But for me, it got even better … the group starting up this e-magazine, called Life As A Human, are Canadian. A genuinely friendly and earnest group that includes, in addition to Christopher as Vice-President, Gil Namur as CEO and Kerry Slavens as Editor in Chief. The official launch for Life As A Human is February 1st — this Monday! (Before it launches, you can still click on the logo in the right-hand column for a chance to win $250!) So it’s all pretty exciting. This LAAH gang is all out West, so hubby and I are hanging our hopes on its outrageous success so that we can finally move out and buy our Gulf Islands cottage with art studio in the back. Can you hear my head creaking under the pressure?

I’m nominated for a weblog award!

I’ve never been nominated for an award before, so this is super cool! And I didn’t even have to pay anyone off (well, not that much, anyhow). It’s for a 2010 Canadian Weblog Awards! As you can imagine, my head is practically bursting now!

But here is how I REALLY know my head is getting out of proportion. Stella made this comment about my head, completely out of no where:

This morning, I am trying to get Max’s attention.

“Huh,” I say. “He just doesn’t seem to want to look me in the eye.”

Stella responds: “Maybe because you’re a medusa. Maybe that’s why.”

Hubby starts backing away out the door, chuckling as quietly as he can manage while still breathing.

Here’s what you do. Just take the first line of the first post of every month and repost them in one big post.

I started blogging in June of this year (and already changed the layout 3 times!). So here’s how mine reads …

June: I know the lawn needs mowing.

July: I Am Canadian.

August: Writers are always on the hunt for ways to improve their craft, and I’m no different.

September: In my first “Letter from South Korea,” we covered off the basics of who, what, when and why Meaghan Harrison chose to leave Canada and teach English overseas.

October: Voila! A fresh new design, just for us!

November: If you’re still feeling a little charbroiled, how about a little comedic interlude courtesy of David Sedaris?

December: In follow-up to my “Ho! ho! ho! ribbit! ribbit! ribbit!” post, I am happy to share this toy review* with you — just in time for Christmas.

A big huge hug to all my bloggy friends who’ve helped me along the way and given me valuable tips. And a big huge hug to all of you who have taken the time to support this blog — it’s been a fantastic way to express myself and work on my writing skills. Happy 2010 to us all!

These are stories that touched my heart and resonated with me in a strong way. I hope that they may have the same lovely effect on you too.

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you and may tomorrow be the start of some special memories for you and your family.

• A Dad with a big heart (and a sense of humour) keeps Santa alive for his kids. Posted by my friend and fellow blogger at Father Knows Best?
  
• Did you ever get those “Livesaver books” for Christmas as a kid? Me too! This post was so real for me, written by a blogger I stumbled upon this morning.
• One of my favourite bloggers, XUP, tells of the most treasured gift she ever received for Christmas.

Happy, fluffy-snow and holiday time!

Love from your coffee-break companion, Julie.

James Chartrand of Men with Pens – an extremely successful writer and blogger — has “outed” himself as a woman. A single mom, to be specific.

Why would a 30-something Canadian feel the need to adopt a male pen name? It’s explained in this Copyblogger guest post “Why James Chartrand Wears Women’s Underpants.” It’s definitely worth a read. Especially if you think feminism is an antiquated term.